NEW ZEALAND CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1923, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND CRICKET

.MR MAC LA REVS OPINION". THE I’I.AY A.YI) PLAYERS. Impressions of play ami players in the recent four of tlie M.C.C. team ::: New Zealand are interesting! v given uy Mr A. G. MncLaren. captain, in '■9 kit- st issue of tfie "Cricketer.”

Ifi" impression formed in New /. a|ai"l. stales tiie F.Tlglish captain, was tb.ii flic bailing was hotter than the howling, but there was nothing hoy.md the ordinary county ha.l-m-oi. am i ue

of whom many of our eoutuies wuald fie glad to have in their teams. SI i old they make a trip to u- one dav thev wiil probably heat certain -ido, whnii ai'e capable of holding their own n 1 c lit the middle ol th" eonutv ehnmnionslup h-t.

.Tin* players who represent the provinces are keen enough, and further experience would do much for them. liiddlostoii, Collins (Wellington). Blunt (Canterbury), Daren. Garrard (Auckland). Shepherd (Dingo), and others ■are all good batsmen. Collins having obtained his blue at Cambridge. Brice is even now when well into the forties: a realy ex, client howler, but judicious l'e-ling is in-cessary where he is concerned. and il Allcoit came over lie v. null get plenty of wickets w ith Dih ft-ha-ul swinging length halls. SOME GOOD YOUNG PLAYERS.

Outside* the province the cricket is not so good by <;v big margin. It is no disparagement to the New Zealanders to remark that the class combination of (Rli.-on and FT'ccnmn, with Chapman at extra cover and short slip, was rather beyond their powers, and it must fie some consolation to them to know that this same combination was re.-puii-ihle for our return through Australia for Ihr undoing of New South Wide, batsmen. who had been too good for our howlers in tlie last test games played in England. MeLcan, too, must not Ik> forgotten in this combination, since his stumping and (niching were generally of a, high order. Tile wickets in New Zealand were belter than we expected, from what we were told about them before our arrival, it seems cerlain that- the New Zealand XI would hold ii- own agaiii'-i all conmy sides which did imt contain good ela.-s play-

ers. and im one will he better pleased 1., see them come over and do well than nivsell'. THE GAME IN A TFT I! A 4 lA.

The impressions iormed in Australia i alter 20 years’ absence, were the gen- ! oral shortage of howlers of class, and j with few exceptions the quieter met It- j oils of batsmen in general who venture i nothing, preferring to wear down tlie howling hy a slower process than waforniet'ly employed, no attempt heim made to open out the field by driving into the country. On tlie other hand, their das- hat-men are very good indeed. while their fielding and returning (lie hull, especially where New Smith . Wales is concerned, was one of the j very highest order. (if the.-c mil yet seen here. A. Rirli-i ard-ou is. on hard wickets at any rale, I one of the most delightful punishing; batsmen ever seen, with strokes all, round ihe wicket, properly executed, with great power behind them. Ho ! reminds me very much ot Ramos oi i Nottingham in his build and style of ; hatting, and he is lertain to receive.; an invitation to form one of the la-xt ■ Australian XI for Kughuul. Kippax is tig. most promising young 1 batsmen in Australia to-day. bis form for 'Nee South Wale- having 1 consistently good, -ami I rather though! \ he had brought more power into hist rokes after our first match at Syd licy. Everyone told me that Hortii-i brook of Queensland was the most pro- ; niising howler in Australia, being a! tall U'lt-humlcr. NO ENCOURAGEMENT Folk I BOWL ERS. Bowlers to-day get no encouragement, j in Australia, since, in all the inter- j Slate matches, the wickets are covered j |o; the sake of the gate, and this must j in the end prevent any young batsmen | learning how to play successfully 'U J slow or tricky wickets until a wet -ea- ; soil :u England is experienced. In the j same way their bowlers, like McDonald, j should do hot ter in England than in their own country, and 1 don't think j for a moment that the next side will I ; lie weaker than l lie last one in a normal summer. But we should fie Strong- j

There is no retrain to think that there will be no youngsters coining along in the meantime, and I have vivid recollections of sonic really good voimg players ai Wellington playing i'll, young cricketers from Christchurch. a game which afforded me a lot of pleasure, for tin* boys were good "cough for our best public schools' V|• -. in New /calami they could d ■ with more coaches Imm home, like Shaekhiek of Nottingham, who ha- done dn,-i excellent work among the s-heol-;,u,i young platers, am! right well did 1,, look. Hi- health is of the Lest, and he is extraordinarily aelne ior Ids years, white his cut husiu- n e- wonderful. CLUE FINANCIAL ASPECT. 11. ho- ! "oil cabled over that the (our has Ii- -II responsible lor an illl-l doubted financial 10-s. Iml from what wo eeiild learn it was likely to he eonsiderafily under four ling lor which loss v e ivi'e cerraiillv not to Matite. seeing that the New Zealand ("ri.ket ( ciine:! preferred that we -li"ii!d play a serie- of twe-day matvlie- without :111V guarantee. not one of these realtirej £293. rather than play more games i in' Australia where good gates await-d| u- as at' Rri-balie. The inhahit'anfwere bitterly di-ai'poiuted that no time t,!.,| f)eeu allowed us to play a gaim again-t (Ricen-laml. which would, have 1 ,(,,.11 an edmatien to our men. seeing that I loriiibrnok. the most promising eft e.'.Lis i'l Au-tralia. would have ,-v ~j.. pi iniarilv a New /calami one. ami our friends were entitled to eon- . j, r the ct i '-.ct first and finance afterwards. and le' members ot the ALT .( . NT will always I ■ ■ grateful to the sport me-,, who. oil the otltcr side, a-si-ted toward the exp-use of the same.